# CNote Press Kit Media Contact: Sparkpr, [CNote@sparkpr.com](mailto:CNote@sparkpr.com) ## About CNote [CNote](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/) is a women-led social enterprise on a mission to close the wealth gap through financial innovation. Using the power of technology and a community-first framework, CNote’s platform has enabled corporations, foundations, and individuals to deploy over $100M in investments and deposits into financially underserved communities across the country. CNote is a Certified B Corporation that has earned “Best for the World” honors from B Lab and was named “Best Women-Owned Business” by the United Nations’ Women’s Empowerment Principles program. [Read CNote's Origin Story](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/about-us/) ## Impact is Our Mission CNote tracks the on-the-ground impact of its community investments through [quarterly quantitative impact reports](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/blog/impact-metrics/) and by [profiling the small businesses, people, and organizations](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/blog/borrower-stories/) supported by investors in CNote’s loan funds. ### [Meet Brooklyn Packers, The Co-Op Connecting Small Farms To The Big Apple](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/blog/meet-brooklyn-packers-the-co-op-connecting-small-farms-to-the-big-apple/) Steph Wiley has been an entrepreneur almost as long as he’s been a New Yorker—and… ### [Meet Piedmont Community Services, The Behavioral Health Service Provider Taking Care of Its Community](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/blog/meet-piedmont-community-services-the-behavioral-health-service-provider-taking-care-of-its-community/) Although his educational pursuits and military service took him away from Martinsville, Virginia, Greg Preston… ### [The Story of Jeff Trudeau and Concrete Washout Solutions](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/blog/the-story-of-jeff-trudeau-and-concrete-washout-solutions/) In 2012, Jeff Trudeau, a seasoned concrete truck operator, saw a growing environmental crisis within… ## Notable Coverage Inside Philanthropy: [Want to Advance Racial and Economic Justice? Invest in Small, Black-Led CDFIs](https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2020/11/17/want-to-advance-racial-and-economic-justice-invest-in-small-black-led-cdfis) San Francisco Business Times Executive Profile: [Catherine Berman, CEO and Co-founder, CNote](https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2021/07/30/executive-profile-catherine-berman.html) Sustainable Brands: [Corporate Treasurers Get Serious About Shifting Cash to Communities](https://sustainablebrands.com/read/finance-investment/corporate-treasurers-get-serious-about-shifting-cash-to-communities) GreenBiz: [How treasurers can lead their company’s impact investing](https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-treasurers-can-lead-their-companys-impact-investing) Impact Alpha: [How some corporations are driving capital to Black founders and investors](https://impactalpha.com/how-some-corporations-are-driving-capital-to-black-founders-and-investors/?mc_cid=ad759cd0e9&mc_eid=735cb70aec) The Global Treasurer: [Treasury network questions fintech role within ESG investment](https://www.theglobaltreasurer.com/2021/03/11/treasury-network-questions-fintech-role-within-esg-investment/) CDFI Coalition: [Working with CDFIs to Close the Opportunity Gap and Make Capital More Accessible](https://cdfi.org/2021/03/16/working-with-cdfis-to-close-the-opportunity-gap-and-make-capital-more-accessible/) MorningStar: [How to Add Impact Investing to Client Portfolios Through CDFI Loans](https://www.morningstar.com/articles/1017607/how-to-add-impact-investing-to-client-portfolios-through-cdfi-loans) Credit Union Times: [Impact Investors Could Be Credit Unions’ Path to Long-Term Resilience](https://www.cutimes.com/2021/01/06/impact-investors-could-be-credit-unions-path-to-long-term-resilience/) Forbes: [How Fintech Platform CNote Gives Socially Conscious Investors New Ways To Battle Inequality: An Interview With Catherine Berman](https://www.forbes.com/sites/afdhelaziz/2020/08/04/how-fintech-platform-cnote-gives-socially-conscious-investors-new-ways-to-battle-inequality-an-interview-with-catherine-berman/?sh=6f4285dc624c) ## Press Releases [PayPal Deposits $135 Million in Financial Institutions Serving Black and Underserved Communities as Part of $535 Million Commitment to Advance Racial Equity](https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/2021-06-02-PayPal-Deposits-135-Million-in-Financial-Institutions-Serving-Black-and-Underserved-Communities-as-Part-of-535-Million-Commitment-to-Advance-Racial-Equity) [CNote Has Successfully Moved Over $100 Million Dollars into Financially Underserved Communities](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/blog/100m-dollars-deployed/) [Women-Led Fintech Platform Debuts Impact Customization Service That Lets Corporate Treasuries Invest to Meet DEI Goals](https://www.newswire.com/event/women-led-fintech-platform-debuts-impact-customization-service-that-21365987?type=news&_ga=2.127424522.661241033.1619020722-133089755.1618004398) [Mastercard Recognizes Women’s Small Business Month Expanding Partnership with Impact Investment Platform CNote](https://www.mastercard.com/news/press/2020/october/mastercard-recognizes-women-s-small-business-month-expanding-partnership-with-impact-investment-platform-cnote/) [CNote Raises $3 Million to Scale Technology-Enabled Investment Into America’s Most Underserved Communities](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cnote-raises-3-million-to-scale-technology-enabled-investment-into-americas-most-underserved-communities-301191252.html) [CNote Launches Wisdom Fund to Close Lending Gap for Women](https://www.newswire.com/news/cnote-launches-wisdom-fund-to-close-lending-gap-for-women-20837485) [CNote’s Promise Account Taps Power of Cash for Competitive Returns + Social Impact](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cnotes-promise-account-taps-power-of-cash-for-competitive-returns--social-impact-301006884.html) [CNote Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary, Thousands of Jobs Created in Underserved Communities](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cnote-celebrates-five-year-anniversary-thousands-of-jobs-created-in-underserved-communities-301275205.html) [New Report: CDFIs Have Urgent, Ongoing Capital Needs](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-report-cdfis-have-urgent-ongoing-capital-needs-301311286.html) ## Awards - **[Real Leaders Impact Award](https://real-leaders.com/awards/12/) (2021)**: CNote was ranked among the top 150 impact companies that are solving business problems in socially constructive ways. - **[World-Changing Women in Conscious Business Award](https://socapglobal.com/2020/01/43-world-changing-women-in-conscious-business-2020/) (2020):** magazine honored co-founders Cat Berman and Yuliya Tarasava for mission-driven business leadership. - **[InvestmentNews Innovator Award](https://iconsandinnovators.com/innovators/catherine-berman/) (2020):** CNote was honored for its focus on fixed income and cash with social impact. - **[Best Women-Owned Business](https://www.weps.org/event/2020-g7-eu-weps-award-winners-announced?fbclid=IwAR13LhAlso3SovoYV5V_ZLUA__Wk-0v6KCRtC4qr-CQE9-TYtRir_5GvcgM), U.N. Women’s Empowerment Principles program (2020):** CNote was recognized for addressing the persistent lack of funding for small businesses owned by women of color. - **[ImpactAssets 50](https://www.impactassets.org/ia50_new/fund.php?id=a012R000019mogaQAA) (2020 & 2021):** ImpactAssets selected CNote for its annual showcase of impact investment fund managers. - **[B Corp Best for the World Honoree](https://bcorporation.net/directory/cnote-group-inc) (2019):** CNote scored among the top 10% of B Corps on the B Impact Assessment in the customer benefits category. ## Logo Downloads #### CNote Primary Logo ( [svg](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CNote-Primary-Logo-Teal-SVG-normal-spacing.svg)) ( [png](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CNote-Primary-Logo-Teal.png)) ( [jpg](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CNote-Logo-Primary-JPG.jpg)) #### CNote Alternate Horizontal ( [svg](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CNote-Horizontal-Teal-SVG.svg)) ( [png](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CNote-Horizontal-Teal.png)) #### CNote White Color Logo ( [White on teal jpg](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CNote-logo-white-on-teal-1.jpg)) ( [White transparent bg png](https://wpstaging.mycnote.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CNote-Logo-White-.png)) ## CNote’s Co-Founders ### Catherine Berman ### Co-Founder and CEO Catherine Berman is the CEO and Co-founder of CNote, an impact investment platform that helps large institutions, like corporations, banks, and foundations move deposits and capital into community investments to address racial justice, climate change, and other pressing social issues. She’s a three-time entrepreneur with experience building scalable businesses. Her last startup grew into a multi-million dollar firm in less than four years. Prior to CNote, she worked as a Managing Director at Charles Schwab focused on new market segments and predictive analytics. At the vanguard of impact investing, Catherine has spoken at events hosted by Stanford, Oxford, Google, The Economist, SoCap, Coinbase, and others to challenge conventional thinking about money and meaning. ### Yuliya Tarasava ### Co-founder and COO Yuliya Tarasava is the COO and Co-founder of CNote, an impact investment platform delivering competitive returns by investing in women, minorities, and low-income communities across America. Yuliya has built and delivered innovative financial products across three continents along with holding high-level risk management roles on Wall Street. Before launching CNote, Yuliya led quantitative due diligence for over 20 mutual funds across multiple asset classes for AMG Funds. At Summit Rock Advisors, she developed proprietary analytics and risk management frameworks for a portfolio of over $10B in assets. She was one of 12 individuals selected for Acumen’s Global Fellows program, which led to her running strategy and operations for Juhudi Kilimo, a micro-finance institution in Nairobi that supports farmers and small-to-medium agro-businesses throughout Kenya. Born and raised in Belarus, Yuliya has always had an interest in how finance can contribute to economic development and equality. She is a CFA and CAIA charterholder. Yuliya has spoken at events hosted by UC Berkeley, SoCap, Opportunity Finance Network, Deutsche Bank, and others to challenge conventional thinking around financial innovation as a tool for positive social change.